Differences Between Group Work & Team Work

by Robin Fritz, Demand Media

Groups and teams are not necessarily interchangeable.

team image by Andrey Kiselev from Fotolia.com

In the business world, the words “group” and “team” seem interchangeable, but smart managers realize there are subtle – but important – differences. Recognizing these differences early on will help small business managers to more effectively lead people to achieve their organizational goals.

What Is a Group?

A group in the workplace usually comprises three or more people who recognize themselves as a distinct unit or department, but who actually work independently of each other to achieve their organizational goals. For example, a small business may have a client services group, but one person may focus on local clients, one person may focus on regional clients and a third person may assist those individuals. Also, groups tend to be permanent fixtures with ongoing goals or responsibilities.

What Is a Team?

A team comprises three or more people who may come from different departments within a business, but they collaborate together over time to achieve some set purpose, goal or project. For instance, before a small business creates a new product, it may organize a team composed of people from all departments – engineering, finance, legal, marketing, etc. – to consider all aspects of the potential new product to avoid costly surprises down the road. With a team, individuals recognize the expertise and talents of others needed to achieve the team’s goal. Additionally, teams are often formed for temporary assignments with one specific goal, focus or outcome in mind.

Why Form Groups?

Managers recognized many years ago that two heads are better than one, thus small businesses have turned to groups or departments for many reasons. With group work, members have a shared knowledge of the group’s objectives, but specific tasks or responsibilities are assigned to different individuals. By separating work into groups – such as one devoted to marketing, one devoted to accounting, etc. – individuals within those groups are able to maximize their expertise on a long-term basis.

Why Form Teams?

Businesses form teams usually to tackle a specific – and usually temporary – goal or project with the intent of leveraging the collective expertise of a variety of people. Because experts from various departments are involved, teams can avoid potential problems early on in a project. For instance, a team of only engineers may create a new product but may not understand whether it’s affordable until someone with a finance background completes a “return on investment” or ROI analysis on its feasibility. Having a finance member involved in the team from the beginning will help the engineers to create an affordable product in the first place, saving time and resources. Teams can be very productive because involving people with different talents provides teams with increased opportunities to work more efficiently.

About the Author

Robin Fritz earned a B.A. in journalism and an M.B.A. from Indiana University, and works as a financial writer (18-plus years). She teaches business writing classes as an adjunct lecturer for IU. Ms. Fritz has also worked as a news correspondent, was a speech writer for the Indiana Senate, and was public information officer for the Indiana Dept. of Education.

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